Sullivan County debates tax incentives for casino developers

MONTICELLO, N.Y. – Sullivan County may be a leading candidate to land at least one of up to four casinos to be approved by the state, but how far should the county go to set bait?

Kenneth Walter, a resident who frequently questions county direction on some issues, is adamantly opposed to incentives, and made the point during public comment following Thursday’s Community and Economic Development Committee meeting.

“I don’t think any casino should get any grant of any taxpayers in the state of New York,” Walter said. “The state of New York is giving a sweetheart deal to start with to operate.”

Democrat Legislator Ira Steingart, who chairs the committee and also chairs the county Industrial Development Agency, defended the incentives.

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“Their enticements that they’re getting is also being able to build a much larger project than if they weren’t getting the benefit,” Steingart said. “It also gives them the ability to go into the marketplace to get financing for the project, so, I believe … first of all, it’s up to the applicant that we’re going to see, then we’ll see if they qualify for the project.”

“I would ask that the IDA review the destination resort policy, the uniform policy, because it was adopted prior to the passage of the gaming legislation, so, it was a different world then,” he said.

Steingart, noting that applicant Empire Resorts has already presented its proposal to the IDA, countered, saying what Sorensen is suggesting might amount to creating a different playing field for the other applicants looking at Sullivan County. None of the others has come to the IDA, yet.

Each proposal will be subject to a scoring system by the state, and a tax abatement could result in a lower score in the category of funds going to the localities and the state.